The “Stern Teachers” Mystery

November 12th, 2014
Bucs cornerbacks coach Gill Byrd

Bucs cornerbacks coach Gill Byrd

Joe’s written previously about how there’s some sort of disconnect going at One Buc Palace.

The Bucs are repeating mistakes yet Lovie Smith has said countless times his primary criteria for hiring assistant coaches is that they be “stern teachers.”

Teach. Teach. Teach. That really goes back to the Father Dungy philosophy.

But that’s the thing, how can Lovie have a staff full of teachers yet have a team, especially a defense, that plays like it’s not learning effectively?

One must assume the coaching is bad or the talent is subpar, or both.

The final seven games should answer a lot of questions related to teaching and learning, in addition to revealing what Buccaneers are interested in playing hard every snap.

32 Responses to “The “Stern Teachers” Mystery”

  1. DB55 Says:

    Can’t teach what you don’t know and I’m not sure anyone of this coaching staff knows how to win. Leslie Frazier darn sure doesn’t!!

  2. RastaMon Says:

    The talent is tuning out Lovie and the coaches….poor guys have to be around them as much as they do….results are on the field Gameday…bottom line

  3. Jim Says:

    Educators see this all the time. Learning does not occur like pouring water into a cup. Learning is constructed like a building from the foundation up. If a student refuses to learn than no teacher can help them and no learning will ever take place.

  4. Jim Says:

    A good teacher is not the sage on the stage, they are the guide on the side.

  5. RastaMon Says:

    Wow…going Tao….

  6. buddhaboy Says:

    i can only show you the path, but you must walk it.

    my sons

  7. Killian Says:

    I’m wondering if we should have given Schiano one more year…

  8. biff barker Says:

    These players were all smart enough to be the .1% to make it to the NFL.

    I’m not saying that all are a great fit. But please consider how all the hand picked veteran FA’s are performing this season.

    That should be screaming at you.

  9. Greg Schiano Says:

    Or not play hard every snap?

    Toes on the line boys!! Joe is absolutely correct, the attitude of the players reflects leadership. If the coaching staff cannot motivate these players in their first season under a new HC, then all is lost.

    Question: Are the players playing with more passion and more aggression or less passion and less aggression?

    I am not an expert, but I see a total lack of urgency…a total lack of “just win baby!”

    If they are playing for the number 1 pick or number 2 pick….that is one thing…but they do not appear to be playing for anything…or anyone.

    Greg Schiano

  10. GreatStuff Says:

    We need winning attitudes. The players on this team have accepted losing. I dont see any sense of urgency to be better. Its the same self inflicted wounds that are preventing the ship from turning around. You can tell someone what to do 1 million times. Its up to them to do it. Its time we quit blaming the coaching staff. We have blamed the coaching staff for 8 years. Its time Joe and the gang start holding the players accountable. Theres no way Lovie forgot how to coach, Gill Byrd forgot how to coach, Leslie Frazier knows how to coach. Theres plenty of coaching talent on this team. There is zero player accountabiity, outside of about 5 players. Where are the Fire Mason Foster billboards, Fire Michael Johnson billboards, Fire Dane Fletcher billboards, Fire EDS billboards, Fire Anthony collins billboards, Where are the planes circling RAY J demanding the firing of our players….Unti that changes our record and losing culture will be hanging around and around

  11. Robert 9 Says:

    1st off, lose the floppy hat!!!!!!

    you want to be taken seriously don’t look like Gilligan.

    WTF is all I can say.

  12. Robert 9 Says:

    also, is there a single coach on this team with some nasty to them. I don’t pretend to know all the coaches, but the ones I have seen are about as laid back as they come. WTF.

    and then you have the pimple faced OC who would probably get his a$$ kicked by lindsay lohan.

    some dude who drives through wendy’s naked, the guy who hire jfro six pack jackson……..

    and you guys think it’s the players?

    honestly, I blame myself for not seeing through this before the season even started. Lovie had my trust, he’ll never regain that after hiring this staff. My heart is in Tampa with the Bucs, but my time will be spent watching the Dolphins.

  13. Pierce Says:

    It’s both, but the majority of the blame falls on coaching. You have to create a scheme that fits the personnel you have.

  14. billy buckaroo Says:

    Joe says
    “One must assume the coaching is bad or the talent is subpar, or both.”

    That is actually the real unanswered QUESTION?
    Is there a coaching problem(s)
    or are the players the problem(s)

    I have my opinion as do many on this site but it is only my opinion and
    all I can confirm is that there is a huge problem with this team which is up to the head coach to fix and correct whatever it may be.
    Some head coaches recognize the problem and correct it whatever it takes and
    some join the “Not For Long” club

    Now we get to wait and see if our head coach can correct the situation or not, regardless of who is to blame

    Its not who’s to blame any longer, its progressed to do we have the right guy to fix it.
    Time will tell

  15. Zam Says:

    They all have ADHD and no one is letting them take their Adderall any more.

  16. OB Says:

    It is the coaching, they must lead and discipline when necessary, who has been disciplined for doing bad? No one. If they are leading, they are going the wrong way.

    Yes we have players that should not be on the team, so the question is why are they? Why is a very good punter so bad now? I could go on and on but it just boils down to the coaching and not doing what they should.

    It has been my experience when going to a place that needed fixing that getting rid of a couple of bad apples and demanding professionalism and firing those that can’t learn, makes the rest understand that they too are mortal and can be fired. Works wonders.

    What we have is wonders what works.

  17. bucs4lyfe Says:

    I watched the cornerback play sunday very closely and I saw this one idiot that played for alteran verner and theres no one on earth that can convince me that this guy is being taught to play 10-15 yards off Julio jones and then when the ball is hiked and the guy runs at you full speed you actually run towards him then grab him and get a penalty and still cant stop him from getting away from you in coverage….we’ve have 3 different head coaches and a revolving door of assistants and im supposed to believe that these guys cant learn the same technique the rest of the league is running….. no leonard Johnson is in his third year, HE SHOULDNT HAVE TO BE TAUGHT NOT TO FACE GUARD AFTER ALL THIS TIME

  18. Chef Paul Says:

    Why do we keep blaming the coaches because the players tune them out? We are on our 4th consecutive coach the players tuned out. Pretty soon we have put some responsibility on these loser players!!!!

  19. Rob Says:

    Thats the problem with keeping veterans who havent played in this system. They have been in this system and are reluctant to learn it. They have to forget what they used to know about the previous schemes they played in. No shock that the 2 DB’s who have made the most progress – Banks and McDougald.

  20. Joe Says:

    Why do we keep blaming the coaches because the players tune them out? We are on our 4th consecutive coach the players tuned out. Pretty soon we have put some responsibility on these loser players!!!!

    Because good coaches not only put their players in position to win, but get the most out of players.

  21. Buctebow Says:

    Stern Teachers Mystery…I think we need Nancy Drew to solve this one.

  22. buc4lyfe Says:

    Joe Says:
    November 12th, 2014 at 5:08 pm
    Why do we keep blaming the coaches because the players tune them out? We are on our 4th consecutive coach the players tuned out. Pretty soon we have put some responsibility on these loser players!!!!

    Because good coaches not only put their players in position to win, but get the most out of players

    If you believe that Joe then your saying we have a win now secondary… This isn’t done groundbreaking defense they are learning, it’s cover 2 and doesn’t get more basic

  23. Chef Paul Says:

    “Because good coaches not only put their players in position to win, but get the most out of players.”

    It’s still the players doing the “tuning out.” These guys quit on Lovie by week 3. That’s not enough time for these quitters to decide if Lovie is a good coach or not. I’m not giving Lovie a pass. He has plenty of fault in this. But maybe it’s time we start calling these players what they are: Loser quitters.

    How can darn near every player that played for Lovie in Chicago talk about how awesome he is, and how they would take a bullet for him, to this? Quitting by week three. These players have a habit of quitting when things don’t go their way.

    Something aint stirring the kool-aid, is all I’m really saying.

  24. Brent Says:

    Every player in Chicago? You checked that? Lovie I think is getting another year so I think this will work itself out. The coaches are responsible for the product on the field as is the gm. So, after 2 years there will be no excuses left. Also, if players are tuning out coach year 1 then that always falls on the coach. Players will end up getting cut too..

  25. Chef Paul Says:

    No, I didn’t check it, because I didn’t say every player.

    So if the coaches and the GM are responsible for the product on the field, and responsible for the players to buy in, what are the players responsible for?

  26. AnotherJ Says:

    The players are responsible for executing what is called by the coaches…

  27. Chef Paul Says:

    Exactly!!

    And to do that they have to buy in and perform the product on the field.

  28. Brent Says:

    @ chef Paul, what your implying never happens. Coaches and gms are responsible for the teams record. Players get traded cut and go unsigned all the time. Usually a new coach and gm come in and clean house and get rid of unproductive players. That’s the cycle. I think Lovie will get a 2nd year definitely but he will be on the hot seat a little next year. This is his first year so he has that going for him..

  29. Chef Paul Says:

    I get the cycle. There’s been a lot of turnover around here the last few years. But there are still plenty of players on a team that tuned out the coach by week 3, that played on a team that tuned out the coach last year. And still a few that tuned out Rah.

  30. Brent Says:

    I might agree we’re turning over coaches too much. I blame glazers for that. Starting with rah. I’m starting to wonder if they can hire a coach.. Despite my frustration I hope Lovie can get this thing turned around. I just wanna be competitive for now. 8 -9 wins I’d be ok.

  31. Brent Says:

    So Lovie better identify these guys and get rid of them. I can’t see him surviving another season like this..

  32. pick6 Says:

    lovie smith had an entire year off to think of nothing but the guys he wanted to get back into coaching with and the free agents he wanted to sign when he got his new job. this is what he came up with.